What is the difference between a complaint and an appeal?
Appeals are requests to review or overturn a selection or dismissal decision. The national office cannot hear appeals or change any selection or dismissal decision made by a chapter’s faculty council.

Complaints may be filed when a chapter is in violation of an Honor Society policy. The national office will investigate complaints in an effort to bring the chapter into compliance. Complaints must note a specific violation of Honor Society policy, as reflected in the NHS Constitution.

In some cases, when the violation has had a direct impact on a selection or dismissal decision, the corrective action may result in a re-evaluation or reversal. Please note that in many cases, even when a violation has been identified and changes are required, there may not be any impact on selection or membership status.

I want to appeal the nonselection or dismissal of my son/daughter. Can I file a complaint with the national office to have the decision reviewed?
No. The national office does not hear appeals or render decisions for selection or dismissal. All appeals must be filed at the local level.

Can I monitor the status of my complaint?In most cases, you will receive email updates regarding the status of the complaint, including the date the school was contacted, what violations have been found, when a response is expected and when the school has responded and become compliant. However, you may contact the national office at nhs@nhs.us to check the status of your complaint at any time.

How long does it take to review and resolve complaints?Generally, complaints will be reviewed within 15 business days of receipt. When violations are present, the school will be contacted within that time.

The timeline for resolution of a complaint depends on many factors, including the need for additional information from you and the school, whether extensive revisions and changes are needed to the chapter’s procedures and policies, and when the complaint was filed (during the school year vs. summer).

Complaints filed after the conclusion of the school year may not be resolved until the next school year.

What happens when I submit a complaint?Violations of national policy are taken seriously and are thoroughly investigated. When a complaint is received, it is reviewed to identify violations of Honor Society policy. In some cases, more information is needed before a determination can be made. We may contact you and/or the school with additional questions.

Once violations are clearly identified, the national office will contact the adviser and/or principal in writing to notify them that a complaint has been filed. We will identify the nature of the complaint, the violation of Honor Society policy, and the steps required to bring the chapter into compliance. A timeframe for compliance will be outlined and the chapter will be asked to submit a copy of its bylaws and other relevant information for review. Schools are usually asked to respond within 15 business days, except in time-sensitive cases where a more immediate response is required.

When should I submit a complaint to the national office?When a violation of NHS policy has been identified and brought to the attention of both the adviser and principal, and the violation has not been corrected, parents, students and interested parties may submit a complaint to the national office.

Please file complaints within the current school year while your student is still enrolled in that school. Complaints filed after a student has graduated may have no effect on membership status.